The insignia of the doctor of the Navy Department with the rank of state Councilor

Military doctors in the Russian army and Navy officially to the officials concerned, however, with all the"ranks" in status and privileges stood closest to the officers. Before world war II there were even rumors about the militarization of the corps of military doctors, i.e. of assigning them is not cool, and officer ranks, however, the practical implementation of these measures, it never came. In 1908 as a token of appreciation of doctors, Military and Naval authorities in the Russo-Japanese war of 1904 – 1905 they were assigned the badges of officer of the specimen and a special so-called "doctor", shoulder straps, width less than that of officers, but more than military officials; width officers ' epaulettes was about 65 – 67 mm, bureaucratic – 40 mm, doctoral – 53 mm; in practice, doctors could wear customized straps with braid of different width, up to same as the officers. Specific, has only military medical ranks, was the pattern of the galloon, the same as officers or generals, but with the addition of two narrow (about 0.5 – 1 mm) woven silk stripes of the same color as the gaps at the edges of the lace. Sprocket was the officers ' pattern, embroidered five-pointed, but unlike officers, sewn longitudinally in the middle of the ring, and was the same color as the metal device (silver). Field epaulettes in the army, and Navy field the shoulder straps were made of black cloth; the difference is in the color of the edging – the doctors of the Naval Department was rated the white edging (ground – red). Silver color metal instrument was installed for medical officials still under Paul I and was replaced with a Golden almost two centuries later, in the 1980s.

Data doctor epaulets of the Navy Department with the rank of state Councilor made, apparently, in the 1910s, but fully comply with the statutory description, that in our time is rare. The majority of sales occurring in the doctoral epaulet relate to the period 1914 – 1917, when the mobilized number of doctors has increased dramatically, and manufactured by a simplified technology: the field of cloth missing, the edging is sewn directly beneath the galloon is made not of cloth, and brushed khlopchatobumazhnoe tissue. Here the lace carefully sewn on a black field, framed by a white cloth edging. Judging by the lining of white cotton fabric in a distinctive rib, epaulettes were worn on the white summer tunic. On the back of the survived tag with the manufacturer (Sevastopol marine consumer society) and a designation that the silk cloth is woven from Nickel-plated copper strands. Shoulder straps, of course, used, but, despite this, it was quite well preserved – the lace is almost not dark. The disadvantages can be attributed only watery pile of cloth and slight damage to one of the edgings.

Most, however, an interesting detail is the trace of the carefully unpicked the second star, clearly visible in the middle of the ring. Most of the doctors of the Naval Department had ranks not lower than class V, i.e., state Councilor; in this rank in 1906 was, for example, the optometrist of the black sea fleet E. E. Schmidt, chief resident and dissector of the Sevastopol naval hospital, V. F. Aristov and Dr. the flagship of the black sea fleet A. I. Kostka, i.e. persons who have held quite high positions. As a rule, in the same rank most of the doctors and was retired from service. However, the data owner the shoulder straps, most likely, upon reaching the rank of class V passed from the Navy to one of the civilian agencies (for example, in the merchant Navy, Ministry of internal Affairs, Red Cross, etc.). In civil departments, doctors wore insignia in accordance not with the rank and position held. Having the title of marine of the doctor, the character has retained the right to wear the appropriate uniform and weapons, as well as a shoulder strap doctor's style, but with insignia on new posts (most likely a senior doctor major naval medical facilities, a large merchant vessel, or equivalent); that's when he ordered shoulder straps with two asterisks. With the beginning of the world war and in mobilizing the doctor re-entered active duty for the Navy Department, where the insignia was to wear in the ranks, not on posts. In order not to spend money on new straps, which in a military deficit were expensive, he decided to order the master just remake existing characters rascia, which was done very conscientiously and carefully. Traces of stars became visible much later, only after hot lace-plating (galvanic coating was not used then) it was getting dark. This combination of features 3em">(the sequence of service and its location in the black sea basin) is unique, allowing you to conduct research and to establish the identity of the owner. It should be noted that any shoulder straps are Navy doctors, and even at such a high rank in our days almost never occur.

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